TBS TOUTS CONAN FOR AN EMMY — FOR HIS NBC “TONIGHT” SHOW

In what is likely an unprecedented “for your consideration” Emmy campaign, one network is paying to hype a show that appeared on another network. TBS launched the campaign today (Tuesday) with trade ads asking Emmy voters to consider Conan O’Brien in the late-night categories when they fill out their nomination ballots. While some reports depicted the campaign as a spoof — one report suggested that TBS was pitching O’Brien’s forthcoming TBS show for an Emmy “before even the first show has aired” — the New York Times said on its website today that the campaign is aimed at securing a nomination for O’Brien for his work last year on NBC’s Tonight show. The newspaper observed: “As incongruous as it may be to have a cable network urging an award for work done on a broadcast network, that might be topped if Mr. O’Brien does score an Emmy nomination. He would then be a prominent part of this year’s award ceremony, which will be broadcast Aug. 29 — on NBC.” Nominees for the 62nd annual Primetime Emmy Awards are due to be announced on July 8.